Qualifications Edward Ritter is a York County native - the son of a machinist and a civil servant. He is a husband, father and grandfather. He is a retired engineer with over forty years professional experience in industrial energy systems, food manufacturing, sustainability and construction quality control.

Pennsylvania State Representative District 47 — VOTE411 Voter Guide. Additional information available on VOTE411.org.

Edward Ritter, Democratic candidate

Age: 69 

Party: Democratic 

Campaign website: www.plaidsylvania.com

Occupation: Retired engineer

Primary residence/municipality: Springettsbury Township

D'Orsie, Ritter to square off again in District 47 state House race

I supported charitable giving through my church and United Way plus volunteer hours in causes that mattered to me: youth sports, Scouting, public libraries, amateur theatre, and food / hunger support.

PLAIDSYLVANIA

### Biographical Information

County York

Occupation Professional Engineer, Retired

Education Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University


Edward Ritter is a York County native. He earned a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. He lives in Springettsbury Township, is a husband, father, and grandfather, and has supported charitable giving through his church and United Way while volunteering with youth sports, Scouting, public libraries, amateur theatre, and food and hunger-relief efforts.

47th District race pits GOP state Rep. D'Orsie against Democrat Ritter

Edward Ritter earned a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. He is a married father.

### Biographical Information

County York

Occupation Professional Engineer, Retired


Edward Ritter is a retired professional engineer with experience in industrial energy systems, food manufacturing, sustainability and construction quality control.

2026 Pennsylvania General Election 

Ritter also said that some sort of accommodation should be made for skill games. 
“They should be licensed, they should be regulated, and they should be taxed,” he said, “but taxed to the point where the businesses and clubs that rely on these for revenue, they should be able to keep them.”

The most important issue to residents of the District is the increased cost of living: utilities, groceries, medical insurance and taxes.

The current minimum wage of $7.25 per hour has not been increased since 2009. For tipped workers, the hourly wage is only $2.83 per hour.
I favor proposals to increase the state minimum wage to $15 per hour with tipped workers paid 60% of the minimum wage. These increases could be phased in over a three-year period.

I favor proposals to increase the state minimum wage to $15 per hour with tipped workers paid 60% of the minimum wage. These increases could be phased in over a three-year period.

In addition, some form of property tax relief needs to be considered for retirees living on fixed income. Nobody should lose their home due to tax increases.

Supports licensing, regulating, and taxing skill games while allowing businesses and clubs that rely on their revenue to retain it.

Supports raising Pennsylvania's minimum wage to $15 per hour, with tipped workers paid 60% of the minimum wage over three years.

Calls for considering property-tax relief for retirees on fixed incomes to prevent tax increases from causing them to lose their homes.

- Supports licensing, regulating, and taxing skill games while allowing businesses and clubs that rely on their revenue to retain it.
- Supports raising Pennsylvania's minimum wage to $15 per hour, with tipped workers paid 60% of the minimum wage over three years.
- Calls for considering property-tax relief for retirees on fixed incomes to prevent tax increases from causing them to lose their homes.

Economy

CORE PLATFORM VALUE

Through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the federal government has reduced funding for multiple programs: FEMA, SNAP, NPR, Head Start, ACA subsidies and Medicaid. As your legislator, I will work to restore or deliver these benefits through state funding.

Infants too young to be vaccinated have been infected and there have been deaths due to measles - a disease that was considered eliminated in the not so distant past.

I feel it is reasonable to require current vaccinations for attendance in public schools, and for all those employed in healthcare. This would include the full slate of vaccines. Also, all these “required” vaccines should be available through all private insurance companies with $0 deductible.

Edward Ritter - Scientist Network for Advancing Policy

I feel it is reasonable to require current vaccinations for attendance in public schools, and for all those employed in healthcare. This would include the full slate of vaccines. Also, all these “required” vaccines should be available through all private insurance companies with $0 deductible. For those reliant on Medicaid or other public health programs, I feel the state / federal government should fully fund vaccination costs.

Plans to seek state funding to restore or provide reduced federal benefits, including Affordable Care Act subsidies and Medicaid.

Supports requiring up-to-date vaccinations for public-school attendance and health care employment.

Supports requiring private insurance to cover required vaccines without deductibles and supports public funding of vaccination costs for Medicaid recipients.

- Plans to seek state funding to restore or provide reduced federal benefits, including Affordable Care Act subsidies and Medicaid.
- Supports requiring up-to-date vaccinations for public-school attendance and health care employment.
- Supports requiring private insurance to cover required vaccines without deductibles and supports public funding of vaccination costs for Medicaid recipients.

Healthcare

As of October 16, 2026, Edward Ritter’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Education

Public Health
Based on current findings, PFAS represent a substantial public health threat at very low levels. The production and use of PFAS should be severely restricted in PA where suitable alternative chemicals exist. Additionally, PFAS remediation strategies need to be explored to decontaminate potable water supplies in drinking water.

Energy
I was supportive of federal tax credits for solar and wind power installation before the current federal administration suspended these programs. I believe they should be re-instated. I understand that solar is not the low-cost producer of incremental electrical capacity in PA. Based on this, I would like to see our state energy portfolio prioritized in this order, top to bottom: solar, natural gas, geothermal, nuclear, wind, oil and coal.

I was supportive of federal tax credits for solar and wind power installation before the current federal administration suspended these programs. I believe they should be re-instated. I understand that solar is not the low-cost producer of incremental electrical capacity in PA. Based on this, I would like to see our state energy portfolio prioritized in this order, top to bottom: solar, natural gas, geothermal, nuclear, wind, oil and coal.

It is likely that all feasible hydro plants are already operational - unless there are economic low-head hydro options to be employed in the Susquehanna watershed. I do not favor using eminent domain to displace agricultural / residential use as has been proposed at Cuff’s Run on the Susquehanna.

Data centers need to be transparent regarding their potential impact to their neighbors. This includes specific, enforceable limits regarding power consumption (sourced from grid or generated on-site), water / wastewater use (whether municipal or groundwater / sewer or septic), property lighting, noise, and vehicle traffic (employees, contractors and visitors). Employment must be specific as it pertains to number of employees and their compensation as both relate to tax benefits to the municipality.

1. Electric demand / grid infrastructure: Require data centers to pay for electrical grid upgrades that they require to support new grid electrical demand. It is unfair for individual rate-payers to bear the costs of these upgrades.

3. Water Usage: Water use for cooling servers should be closed loop to the greatest possible extent with no evaporative cooling used unless sited on a substantial surface water source such as the Susquehanna or Lake Erie. Drawing sub-surface water should be limited to potable water usage for staff use only - drinking and sanitary needs. There should be no risk to aquifer depletion from data centers.

I have no understanding of the reported need for the number of hyper data centers that are reportedly under consideration. I am concerned about AI uses for Flock cameras and the data that was essentially stolen from public databases during DOGE’s tenure. The potential for misuse seems extreme! That said, it seems there is some legitimate need for data centers.

Alongside these concerns, it would be prudent to locate data centers away from all residential areas, including schools, churches and daycare centers.

Supports severely restricting per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances where alternatives exist and exploring remediation of contaminated drinking-water supplies.

Supports reinstating federal tax credits for solar and wind power installations.

Wants Pennsylvania to prioritize its energy portfolio as follows: solar, natural gas, geothermal, nuclear, wind, oil, and coal.

Opposes using eminent domain, or government power to take private property, to displace agricultural or residential uses for the proposed Cuff's Run project on the Susquehanna.

Calls for enforceable limits and transparency on data centers' power, water, wastewater, lighting, noise and traffic impacts.

Calls for data centers to pay for electrical-grid upgrades needed for their new demand rather than placing those costs on electricity customers.

Calls for data centers to use cooling systems that reuse water where possible and limit groundwater withdrawals to staff drinking and sanitary needs.

Calls for locating data centers away from residential areas, including schools, churches and daycare centers.

- Supports severely restricting per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances where alternatives exist and exploring remediation of contaminated drinking-water supplies.
- Supports reinstating federal tax credits for solar and wind power installations.
- Wants Pennsylvania to prioritize its energy portfolio as follows: solar, natural gas, geothermal, nuclear, wind, oil, and coal.
- Opposes using eminent domain, or government power to take private property, to displace agricultural or residential uses for the proposed Cuff's Run project on the Susquehanna.
- Calls for enforceable limits and transparency on data centers' power, water, wastewater, lighting, noise and traffic impacts.
- Calls for data centers to pay for electrical-grid upgrades needed for their new demand rather than placing those costs on electricity customers.
- Calls for data centers to use cooling systems that reuse water where possible and limit groundwater withdrawals to staff drinking and sanitary needs.
- Calls for locating data centers away from residential areas, including schools, churches and daycare centers.

Energy & the Environment

Public Safety

Our elections have been free, safe and secure for years. Lawsuits following the 2020 election found no substantial fraud or abuse. Studies by the Heritage Foundation found less than 100 cases of illegal votes in over 1 billion ballots over 24 years – less than 0.000008%. All elected officials should be clear about these figures.
I believe Pennsylvania needs to implement open primaries to guarantee unaffiliated voters fair access throughout the process. We all pay taxes to support election systems. While not part of the stated question, injecting unaffiliated voters in the primary process will reduce the current polarization.

Supports open primaries in Pennsylvania to give unaffiliated voters access to the primary process.

- Supports open primaries in Pennsylvania to give unaffiliated voters access to the primary process.

Voting & Elections

Edward Ritter

Said he wants to pursue death-with-dignity legislation.

- Supports raising Pennsylvania's minimum wage to $15 per hour, with tipped workers paid 60% of the minimum wage over three years.
- Calls for considering property-tax relief for retirees on fixed incomes to prevent tax increases from causing them to lose their homes.

- Supports requiring up-to-date vaccinations for public-school attendance and health care employment.
- Supports requiring private insurance to cover required vaccines without deductibles and supports public funding of vaccination costs for Medicaid recipients.

Facebook

Isaac Brickman

Buket Urgen

Ritter said he wanted to work on issues, including reducing blighted properties and death with dignity legislation.

The 47th District covers Hallam, Manchester, Mount Wolf and Wrightsville boroughs as well as the following townships: Conewago, East Manchester, Hellam, Manchester and Springettsbury (Districts 02, 03 and 07).

Who won the 47th state House seat: incumbent Joe D'Orsie or Democrat Edward Ritter?

Joe D'Orsie

- Your state representative represents the interests of your local district in the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives. The State House of Representatives, along with the State Senate, makes up your state lawmaking body: the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
- Your state representative can author, sponsor, and vote on bills that may become state laws, including introducing tax bills. 
- State representatives and their staff respond to constituent concerns and questions through emails, phone calls, and website announcements. 
- State representatives oversee the executive branch and can vote to overrule a veto by the Governor.  
- They are elected to two-year terms and have a salary of $106,000, with a 1-3% annual increase

Your representative and state lawmaker in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives